


The Pranksters' Pact

by UselessPileOfStressAndSadness



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, enhanced!reader, maybe a smol bit of angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-10-21 13:56:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17644100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UselessPileOfStressAndSadness/pseuds/UselessPileOfStressAndSadness
Summary: (Y/N) is the Cheshire Cat, and her ability is exactly that, she can phase in and out of reality. (Y/N) ends up befriending Loki when he is dragged into the mess that is the Avengers by Thor and Odin’s orders. Queen of Pranks and Mischief on the team, Cheshire Cat lives up to her name, causing chaos on the streets and in the Compound. (Y/N) never expected enemies to friends to lovers to be so competitive and banter-filled, but caring and soft.





	1. Mischief

The Compound has never been so hectic, Tony and Bruce were rushing around Loki-proofing and checking everything, the bird bros were perched high up, ready to snipe/knock out trouble when Thor and Loki eventually arrive, Rhodey and Vision were flying around, doing a perimeter check that the force field that Doctor Strange and Tony had created to protect against magical and technological attacks was holding up well, the super soldiers, excluding Natasha, were waiting near the Bifrost depot (T’Challa was with them, Shuri was in charge of Wakanda for the day that he was here reinforcing the image of the Avengers). This left the women to wander around and show Doctor Strange the inside of the Compound, as he had only been there once, and that was to help out with the force field.  
The Bifrost lit up the sky, shooting towards them, and all the Avengers dropped what they were doing, and headed to the Bifrost, forming a ring around Thor and Loki. Everyone was armed and ready.

Loki was in a muzzle and chains connected at his neck and hips. Thor was in his usual Asgardian warrior’s armour.

“Friends! This is my brother, Loki of Asgard.”

“Ah yes, gold-green-black with the mind washing sceptre from New York. I think I’ve heard of him.” (Y/N) immediately responded, her mind not even registering what she was saying before she heard it. Oops. “Thank you for your clarification.” All eyes were on her. Double oops. The only person who looked mildly amused was Tony, Loki just looked like he was analysing every part of her, even though she was wearing her suit and her helmet over her head she felt like she was getting picked to pieces.

Thor ignored her comments, continuing an introduction. “In the ring are, by aliases, Black Widow, Iron Man, Black Panther, Captain America, White Wolf or Winter Soldier, Hawkeye, Falcon, Cheshire Cat, War Machine, Scarlet Witch, the Vision, and the Hulk.” Loki almost imperceptibly flinched when Thor pointed at Bruce, and apparently (Y/N) was the only person who picked up on it.

Good. Black mail. (Y/N) thought to herself, an amused smirk on her lips underneath the helmet she wore. It was very similar to the Black Panther helmet, only it had a big, white, sharp-toothed smile along the bottom that looked almost like a muzzle, making her seem more feral.

With introductions done, Thor lead Loki inside the building, and the Avengers fell into rank, oldest members to newest, meaning that (Y/N) was at the back of the procession. She wasn’t happy with it, but she already had revenge planned out. Individual pranks for all.

The bedrooms had been planned out, a few people had to be kicked out of their original rooms, so that Loki’s room was in the centre of all their rooms, that way he was in the middle of it all. (Y/N) had ended up with a room right across from his, which meant that she had the perfect vantage point for messing with him.

And her ability made everything easier for her pranks. When you could phase through reality to turn intangible and invisible, but still see and hear things in the real world, it was kind of over-powered. And annoying for everyone who knew her.

But it made her the perfect spy and assassin, she could phase parts of her or things into this different reality and vice versa.

Thor was showing Loki to the interrogation rooms. It had been decided that Bruce was to interrogate Loki, because the Hulk was the only known person to be able to take Loki down, and by the looks of it, Bruce was the only one who truly scared Loki.

(Y/N) was to be the security, because with her super senses and enhanced physical attributes, she was stronger, faster and better than all the super soldiers put together, even though her lack of training was a huge disadvantage against someone who had clearly been trained.

Thor shoved a reluctant Loki into the room and filed into the room next door, which shared the left wall that was made entirely of one-way glass. Bruce followed Loki into the room, holding a file, and they immediately wordlessly took a seat, which was surprising because (Y/N) was almost certain that he would fight back. But she had seen the footage, and had to agree with Thor that Loki was under mind control and torture, but that didn’t mean he was problematic.

She might even lose her title as Queen of Pranks to him. She had to be careful.

The interrogation went peacefully, and (Y/N) removed Loki’s shackles and muzzle, using her ability to phase through existence to take them off him, before placing them on the table silently, and ushering him out of the room.

Thor got him to his room, and made sure he was as comfortable as a prisoner could be, before leaving.

It was time for first impressions. In a more relaxed environment.

First, (Y/N) consulted with Strange, asking if Loki was putting up wards and shields around his room like how they had expected him to, and Strange confirmed it.

Which meant that (Y/N) had to wait before the fun could begin.

Which prank would suit the god of mischief? Which prank would mess him up but make sure he doesn’t break? Which prank has she not implemented on the others?

Everyone saw the pensive look on (Y/N)’s face, and chose to avoid her, in case they were the target of her next masterpiece.

~~~

The prank was done and ready, Loki having left to explore the areas he could with Thor, (Y/N) had phased into the In-Between, where everything was grey and sound was warbled, and set up the prank, having by-passed the wards and shields by only phasing parts of herself in at a time.  
The door slid open silently, and (Y/N) watched from the corner she hovered in, still in the In-Between. The prank was set into motion almost immediately, and nothing could stop the fact that a pie had been launched into Loki’s face, sprinkles had been released from above him and pink powder had been sprayed at him at all sides, sticking to his Asgardian garments.

(Y/N) had come prepared, with a camera, and phased through quick enough to catch a few pictures before Loki registered what had happened and went full-on rage-god mode.

He stormed out, the pie in hand and his face completely red.

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!” He scream-yelled, and (Y/N) phased her mouth through, rather like the Cheshire Cat, and let out a cackle, chasing after him, mouth still phased through and body still invisible.

Everyone had gathered in the common room, wanting to see what sort of mischief and chaos (Y/N) had caused and who the victim was this time.

When it was Loki, everyone paled and Thor approached Loki, who had calmed down slightly. (Y/N) phased back into reality, casually sauntering into the common room as if she had been somewhere else the entire time, clicking through the photos on the camera.

“You.” Loki snarled, storming towards (Y/N), regardless of Thor’s attempts to stop him (which just earned him a few knives to the chest). “You think yourself bold when you challenge a god? You think yourself strong when you manage to humiliate a god? You foolish child, I will-” (Y/N) slapped him, phasing him into the In-Between before he could finish the sentence, then continued over to sit on the couch, flicking through the few photos.

“FRIDAY, put the photos up on a hologram.” (Y/N) commanded calmly, and everyone watched wide-eyed, and Tony walked over, sitting beside (Y/N).

“Do you really think it was a good idea to do that to Loki on the first day?”

“Well, I did it to all you guys on the first day, I see no reason to treat the drama queen differently.” (Y/N) smirked, and Tony rolled his eyes. “Anyway, he’s in time out for a while now, I’ll phase him back when he’s more calm. He can’t touch anything when he’s in In-Between.”

“Phase something over there to entertain him, we can’t have him in a murderous mood when he comes back.” Steve said, more like ordered, but told (Y/N) lightly, which caused her to roll her eyes.

“Well, there are books in my room which I always keep in In-Between, just in case I trap someone like this, and considering that Loki is a bookworm and now has free-reign over where he goes as long as it’s in the Compound, then he should be fine.”

“How are you so sure he won’t leave the Compound?” Wanda asked fiercely.

(Y/N) sighed. If she knew she was going to be bombarded with questions when they found out what she did, she would never have done it. “Because he’ll get bored at some point and start wanting to come back into the real world. Even if he didn’t, he’d eventually fade out in the In-Between or succumb to the demons of the mind that live in the dimension next to it. Look, there’s a reason why I sent him there without hesitation. Just trust me on this, will you? I know you guys don’t trust me about anything else.” That stung her slightly, but it was true. After having pranked everyone mercilessly, everyone was wary of what she was doing, and whilst it was fun to play into it, it meant that no one truly wanted to know her and trust her.

He tried to storm towards her.

It didn’t work.

He tried to swim towards her.

It didn’t work.

He resorted to screaming at her.

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?! TAKE ME BACK. I DEMAND YOU TO TAKE ME BACK, YOU MEWLING QUIM.” Loki yelled at her, and (Y/N) rolled her eyes.

“I would prefer if you didn’t call me a whining cunt, but we all have our pet peeves. When you calm down and pull your masks back up, I’ll let you back into the real world. You are no different from the rest, they won’t think you stupid, they’ll more likely empathise with you because they’ve all been pranked countless times by me. Now those books over there are for you, read them, calm down, and if you ruin them, I might just kill you.” (Y/N) said calmly, ignoring the fact that Loki was glaring daggers at her. Taking him in one more time, (Y/N) noticed that he had a light dusting of pink on his cheeks. “Would you prefer it I phased your bathroom into the In-Between for you so you can clean up?”

Loki sneered at her. “Yes.” Came the reply through gritted teeth. (Y/N) reached out towards him, and Loki simply crossed his arms, and (Y/N) shrugged. If the handsome, arrogant man wouldn’t cooperate, then she wouldn’t help.

Handsome? Where did that thought come from?

Well, he is pretty handsome- STOP IT.

(Y/N) ran-swam-flew towards his room, and Loki took it as a sign to follow. He tried using the same actions as (Y/N), but he still didn’t move.

“You have to project it with your mind, and move your body along as well.” (Y/N) called out behind her. Loki caught up in a few seconds. (Y/N) focused, phasing things through reality was difficult when you were trying to phase an entire bathroom and make sure that the piping still worked.

A few seconds later, Loki entered the newly-phased bathroom and (Y/N) turned around to disassemble the prank, making sure everything was clean and the crime scene was as it was before she touched it. By the time that (Y/N) was done, Loki was back in her room, and she phased Loki’s bathroom back into existence, then went over to her bedroom to find Loki peacefully reading, court mask back in place.

“Are you ready to return to the real world?”

“Yes.” Loki responded immediately. “My magic doesn’t work here and I am finding it most uncomfortable.”

“Well, you better get used to it, because it’s my job to control you if you get out of control.” (Y/N) told him, grabbing his wrist and taking an annoyed Loki down to the common room to move him back into the real world, then followed him back into reality. The amount of time spent in the In-Between caused (Y/N) to feel like rubber, all pulled out and stretchy, and gave her a headache.

Tony stormed into the common room to see (Y/N) let go of Loki’s wrist and wipe it on her leg in a disgusted fashion, and Loki turn his head away from her as if he smelled something unpleasant. “(Y/N). Tell me why Loki’s bathroom disappeared for about half an hour.” Tony demanded, and (Y/N) grinned at him cheekily.

“Why don’t you ask Loki himself. I’m going to the training area for a few hours. See ya later.”

“There better not be a prank set up there later!” Tony called after her and she turned around as she jogged backwards.

“That was ONE time.” (Y/N) called back at Tony, “I never repeat pranks!” She shouted, before the jog turned into a run, and developed into a sprint that was faster than light. Tony shook his head in exasperation. (Y/N) always ran faster than sound just for the sonic boom and to show off just how fast she could be.

He turned around to face a disinterested Loki. “So, Reindeer Games what happened?”

“I needed to clean up, and that pathetic little mortal wouldn’t let me into this realm again, so she moved the entire bathroom into what she called the In-Between.” Loki told him monotonously. “Please give her this message from me: If you, little mewling quim, even attempt to pull a trick like that again, then I will dismember you, decapitate you, and disembowel you.”

“(Y/N) would like me to pass this message on to Loki: Suck my dick, asshole. I can hear you.” FRIDAY said seconds later, and Tony laughed.

“I think you’re going to have to watch your tongue, Horny.”

FRIDAY spoke up again. “Now Miss (Y/N) would like Mr Stark to know that in her own words: If you call the drama queen ‘horny’ again, you will be defenestrated on sight, because no one wants to tell him what it means.” Tony grinned and rolled his eyes.

“Well, (Y/N), I won’t call him that again, but that doesn’t mean he won’t ask. And technically, you can’t blame me because you didn’t tell me what nicknames are out of bounds beforehand.” Tony called out, heading down to the labs, leaving Loki to be his dramatic self and stare out the window ominously.

~~~

(Y/N) lightly hit the punching bag. Lightly because she wasn’t putting any effort in, but it was swinging hard, making her need to dodge to the side otherwise it would hit her. Tony and Shuri had made this design specifically for (Y/N) and Thor, and sometimes the super soldiers, to enjoy because it wouldn’t break after the first few hits, and it was infused with vibranium so it absorbed some of the impact.

“So the kitten has claws.” A smooth, yet irritating voice pulled (Y/N) out of her pranking ideas. She had a pretty one-tracked mind when it came to her activities, especially since she was pronounced dead to the world, and had a new alibi.

“Come over here and I’ll show you how sharp they are.” (Y/N) retorted easily to Loki’s jab, and easily broke the punching bag with the next punch, making eye contact whilst her fist flew through it.

She was barely sweating.

Loki smirked and walked over, his long legs in tightly fitted leather pants made the journey rather short, and (Y/N) found herself momentarily distracted, because he was still in his warrior’s garments, as Thor called them. His eyes flashed green, and a knife appeared in his hand. He slashed viciously at (Y/N), and she smirked, dodging easily.

“Ooh, what are you going to do to me with that butter knife, eh Lucky?” (Y/N) jabbed quickly to his ribs, faster than him. She had proved to be stronger, faster and lighter than Captain America, and even Thor, even though she needed a lot more energy than both of them combined for her fast metabolism.  
But they were mostly evenly matched, as Loki was raised a warrior, and (Y/N) had next to no experience, except when in the field. Even then, she had a few moments before she joined the fight to analyse how the enemy side fought.

“No luck, all skill.” Loki retorted through gritted teeth, causing (Y/N) to smirk. She was barely panting, and now was just batting his wrists away as he came at her with twin blades.

“Brother! Lady (Y/N)! Fight in the ring!” Thor boomed from the weights corner, and (Y/N) took the moment that Loki was distracted to jump and do a quick spinning kick to Loki’s head, causing it to snap to the side, painfully, but not fatally so. Loki landed with a small thud, and (Y/N) watched, hands still up guarding her head, and jumped when Loki swept his legs underneath (Y/N).

“That was a lucky shot.” Loki growled, glancing towards Thor, who was now coming over.

Thor grabbed (Y/N) and Loki by the back of their clothes and threw them into the ring. “Stay in there if you’re going to fight.” Then he left the room.

Loki launched himself at (Y/N) again, and (Y/N) kept mostly to the defensive, but when she saw a big, glaring hole in Loki’s defence, she couldn’t help but jab, or kick at him. Every time she did, she caught Loki by surprise.

“Look how well this kitten is holding up against the turtle. Even without weapons.” (Y/N) teased him, bouncing from foot to foot. Honestly, turtle seemed a lot more appropriate than snake, because of how slow he seemed compared to her.

“Summon a weapon.” Loki snapped at her, still trying to stab her, or at least pin her down. (Y/N) saw another hole in his defence and lunged, jabbing with her fingertips at the soft spot between the ribs and the hips, his elbow instinctively protected the side once hit, revealing Loki’s abdomen, meaning (Y/N) could hit his solar plexus. And hit it she did, side piercing kick to the solar plexus, double storey kick to his nose as he bent over, momentarily breathless. Loki ended up falling onto his back, and (Y/N) swept her leg over him, kicking his wrists and causing his knives to fly out of his hands. She snatched the flying weapons from the air and held one to his neck, and the other to his eye as she sat on his stomach.

“I can’t summon things.” (Y/N) gave him a smirk, Loki was panting, and no doubt sweating in all that leather, and whilst (Y/N) was panting, she wasn’t sweating all that much because of the very few garments she was wearing. Only a loose singlet, which had a few rips in it from when Loki had managed to hit her, and some tights. Purple and black, respectively. But now they had rips in them, and she was bleeding above the eyebrow and in other various places. Apparently Loki hadn’t been going flat out, because whilst she had cuts, she hadn’t been stabbed.

“Oh.” Loki responded breathlessly, glancing between the knives and her hands. Then, “You’re holding them wrong.”

“Well, I apologize, because I’ve never handled blades professionally.” (Y/N) settled her breathing, after a lot of practice, she was used to having to slow her breathing down after a battle in case there were paparazzi or reporters at the scene before they could escape. “Do you yield?” She asked, and Loki nodded slightly.

“I yield.” Loki whispered, and (Y/N) glanced at his lips just in time to see his tongue dart out. Without hesitation, (Y/N) stood up, wanting to get away from the guy and sort out her thoughts and feelings.

It wasn’t a surprise that when someone who had a different body type and a different fighting style to catch her interest, because most of the Avengers who fight with hand-to-hand combat had the same fighting techniques, the same build, and always used the same fighting pattern, but not once did (Y/N) find a repeated pattern of techniques in Loki’s fight.

He was unpredictable. Therefore, dangerous. (Y/N) threw the knives at him languidly and heard him catch them as he stood up and as she walked towards the edge of the boxing ring, jumping easily over the fence and landing in a crouch so that she didn’t injure her joints too badly from the small jump.  
Natasha met her halfway with a water bottle and a towel. “You know you could have decked him in the first two minutes.” (Y/N) took the towel and glanced towards where Thor was talking quietly with his brother. “Why didn’t you?”

“I wanted to see his arsenal. I wanted to see what he could do. He doesn’t fight like you guys, not even like Thor. He doesn’t have a pattern, he’s unpredictable. And I want to figure him out.”

“You got the hots for him?” Natasha asked, smirking. “You got the hots for Loki, (Y/N)?”

(Y/N) looked at her shocked, and laughed. “Hell no. He’s interesting, but I doubt he could hold my interest for longer than a week.” That didn’t taste right in her mouth. She could feel the lie spill out of her lips.

“I bet three weeks.”

“And I bet two weeks. What are we betting on?” Clint approached them, and (Y/N) high-fived him.

“How long Loki will hold my attention.”

“Oh come on, that’s an easy one, probably only a few days at most.”

“Hey, he’s rather interesting. He doesn’t fight like anyone I know. Or have fought before.”

“He’s a god.” Clint said with a deadpan expression. “He’s not meant to be predictable by us ‘pathetic mortals’.”

“He doesn’t fight like Thor. Thor has a pattern too, Loki doesn’t.” (Y/N) told him, before downing the entire water bottle. Faster and stronger meant she needed more fuel and more liquids.

Nat returned with another bottle, (Y/N) didn’t even notice when she disappeared. She downed all of the water again and thanked Natasha.

“So how much are we betting?” (Y/N) asked the two adults. “I change my bet to four weeks.”

“Fine, we’ll bet $10 because I’m pretty broke.” Clint added, and they all nodded in agreement, before breaking up. Natasha walked over to the boys casually, and (Y/N) hoped that she didn’t say anything about her. She didn’t want to hear what they were talking about anyway. Clint walked away, and scaled up a wall before disappearing into a vent in the wall.

Sighing, (Y/N) walked over to the targets and picked up a bow and a quiver full of arrows. She shot all the targets, they were placed a few metres back one after the other, and she got the bullseye for each one. It was just luck. Usually, she got bullseye for just over half.

She shot again.

And it was back to normal, she got the inner rings for the last few, which wasn’t surprising.

Someone grabbed her from behind and spun her around. “My brother says that you are a worthy warrior!” Thor put her down, and (Y/N) winced at the likely damage that Thor had caused.

“Uh, thanks? But I doubt that compliment came from him, he hates my guts.” (Y/N) told him, and Thor shook his head.

“Quite the opposite, you two would get along quite well actually.”

“Okay, thanks…?” (Y/N) wasn’t how to respond to that. Loki had, after all, attacked her first, and lashed out when she pranked him for the first time.

“When he stops acting like a child, that is.” Thor grinned, and (Y/N) laughed, giving him a side hug, then letting go quickly.

“I’m going to go practice with some of the daggers first, then go wash myself for dinner. I think the other girls are having a girls’ night.”

“Why have you not been included?”

“I have business to attend to.” (Y/N) gave him a cheeking grin, and he shook his head in an exasperated manner as she skipped away to practice with the throwing knives.

~~~

(Y/N) was careful not to make a single sound as she crept around the Compound that night. She needed to set up a few traps, to get the others back for pushing her to the back of their little procession from the morning.

Tony would find that everything in his bedroom has an ‘I ❤ JUSTIN HAMMER!’ sticker on it.

Steve would find a rather surprising thing attached to his shield (a lot of diamantes that make an Iron Man helmet over the star).

Bucky had magnets on his arm. Also, with an Iron Man helmet over his star.

Wanda would find all her favourite red leather jackets missing, and they would return to her in hot pink.

Vision was difficult to prank. (Y/N) decided that she had to hack into his programming, and now every time he said no he would say ‘HELL YEAH’.

Rhodey wasn’t staying at the Compound, so he was untouchable, as were Strange and T’Challa.

Bruce would find a Hulk sticker on every surface of his room. She knew it wouldn’t bother Bruce too much, and that was the purpose, she didn’t want the Hulk to make an appearance.

Hawkeye would find that his bow and arrows had gone missing, leaving him with an empty quiver with a note that said ‘Check the vents, pigeon fart.’ The arrows were completely replaced with confetti arrows, and his bow was hot pink.

Natasha was too risky to prank, (Y/N) had labelled her as the untouchable one early on. So she just stuck a Black Widow sticker on her forehead without Natasha noticing and left it at that. If anyone asks, it wasn’t her.

Sam would find his wings with diamantes that spelled out ‘I ❤ BUCKY BARNES.’

And finally, Thor would find Mjolnir missing. He would freak out that someone else could wield Mjolnir and have the powers of himself, but it would turn out that (Y/N) had simply shifted Mjolnir into the In-Between. She couldn’t lift Mjolnir just yet, but she could shift the reality that Mjolnir existed in.

As she snuck out of her room to begin setting up the pranks, she saw Loki close his door behind him and stopped in her tracks.

He froze too.

(Y/N) spoke first. “Where are you going?”

“I could ask you the same question.” Loki responded, putting his hands in his pockets in a relaxed position, even though his face was closed up, showing no emotions. (Y/N) noticed that he was wearing dark green sweat pants and a black shirt with his golden horned helmet on it, the shirt that Tony had put in his wardrobe as a joke. For some reason the casual wear made him hotter.

Wait, what?

Never mind.

(Y/N) quickly phased the bag that held all her pranking materials in it into the In-Between before Loki could snatch it from her.

“I asked you first.” She retorted.

“And I asked you second.”

“I asked you first, I get my answer first.”

“Fine then, as long as you don’t expose me.”

“Of course not. I would never go back on my pranker’s truce. Even though I’ve never met another active pranker in this Compound.” (Y/N) told him in a hushed whisper, then tilted her head to the side. She quickly grabbed his wrist and they both disappeared just as Tony came around the corner muttering about improvements he could make to the suit. He paused for one second, in between (Y/N) and Loki’s doors, glancing between them, then continued on his way and went inside his room.

(Y/N) let out a relieved sigh, then realised she had pressed herself against Loki out of instinct to stay on the wall. She blushed and stepped back, praying that Loki wouldn’t take note of the blush, but whatever gods were listening sure hated her, because Loki smirked. “I was planning on making all the coffee in the Compound disappear.” He told her, but the stupid smirk was still on his face. Oh how (Y/N) wanted to slap that smirk right off his smug face.

(Y/N) scowled, then her face lit up as she replied. “Sorry, but I did that already, when I learned of how the great Tony Stark was a coffee addict.”

Loki scowled. “But it hasn’t been done by me.”

“I have a better idea for you, Mister Serious Guy, how about you replace all the coffee in the Compound with decaf, and keep it that way for a few months, then replace everything with coffee again and watch how everyone goes crazy from the sudden caffeine? I was planning on doing it a few months ago, but I got caught up with a few other faster pranks. I feel like this is more your style.” (Y/N) told him excitedly, Loki compared her to a puppy and couldn’t find the difference.

“Fine, I will do your method, but now you need to tell me what’s going on with you.” Loki gestured towards her bag, and (Y/N) gave him a dangerous smirk.

“I’m getting them back for shoving me to the back of the little procession this morning.” (Y/N) told him, and quickly tiptoed to Tony’s room, and stuck her head through the door. Tony was actually going to sleep.

He must be super stressed for that to happen.

Maybe she shouldn’t go through with this.

She didn’t want to make Tony feel worse.

She already regretted millions of the pranks that she did to the others.

Maybe….

Loki was watching. She knew he was, so she returned to him, grabbed his wrist, trying not to let her face burn up because the last time she did this she ended up pressed against him, and phased him back into reality.

He blinked, but shrugged and padded away to where all the coffee was held, in the kitchen, in the private kitchens, he would have to do everywhere.

~~~

By the time that they finished their respective pranks, it was nearly sun rise, meaning the super soldiers and Sam would probably head out for their early morning run. Loki found (Y/N) waiting in front of her door, arms crossed and looking out for him. As soon as he got there, she grabbed his wrist and dragged him into her room.

“I can’t let you ruin this for me.” (Y/N) started, glancing around and listening for any heartbeats within earshot. “Say that you solemnly swear that you are up to no good. And mean it. Then say you solemnly swear you will abide by the rules of the pranksters’ truce.”

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good.” Loki took a deep breath, as if it pained him to tell the truth. “And I solemnly swear to abide by the rules of the pranksters’ truce.”

“Good, now neither of us are allowed to throw the other under the bus, figuratively speaking, and neither of us are allowed to rat each other out. We’re also not allowed to take credit for another’s prank. I hate it when that happens.” (Y/N)’s voice took an edge on the last statement. “Well, mischief managed. For tonight.” She swiped at his wrist again to phase them into In-Between, but Loki shifted his hand at the last minute so that she caught his hand instead.

A blush crept up her neck and only her face, and Loki was watching, amused, as she stuck her head out of the door.

Sam was walking towards the common room, and she could hear Steve and Bucky getting ready in their respective rooms.

She pulled him across the hallway and they walked right through the door, she dumped Loki in his room before he could ask anything and returned to her room to phase back into reality.

Time to do her usual ‘I just woke up’ look after a long night of setting up pranks.

The first scream started. Tony. He must have woken up to all the Justin Hammers.

The next yell was slightly deeper, Bucky, he must have just noticed that he had an Iron Man symbol on his arm.

There was a scramble, and then multiple yells.

Loki and (Y/N) walked out of their room in sync, both with their hair slightly messed up, but there were definitely bags underneath (Y/N)’s eyes.

There was a lot of laughs and yelling, so (Y/N) decided to skip breakfast and head straight to the training centre.

Apparently Loki had the same idea, because he trailed after her.

“I thought you wanted to see the panic you caused by replacing the decaf. I only pranked the Avengers, they’re used to it, but the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents will be affected by your prank too.” (Y/N) spoke without turning around to acknowledge Loki’s presence.

Loki caught up in a stride, hands in the pockets of the completely black suit he was sporting today. “Well, I don’t want to be around when fingers are getting pointed.”

“But you are the God of Lies.”

“My silver tongue may not be all that effective on people used to dealing with criminals, lies and alibis.” He responded almost immediately, and (Y/N) nodded thoughtfully.

“I guess that makes sense. Want to spar again? I must admit, you don’t fight like anyone I know.”

“I don’t?” Loki looked curious now.

“Yes, you fight rather differently. You fight a little like me, and a little like Natasha, and a little like something I’ve never seen before. Like Natasha and I, you use speed and size to get yourself around in a fight. But you fight like yourself because I have never, once, seen you use the same combination of techniques in one fight.” (Y/N) explained. “I’m curious to see if you will use the same combinations if we fight again.” Loki raised an eyebrow.

“I didn’t know you were paying so much attention to how I move.” Loki gave her an infuriating smirk, and (Y/N) took in a deep breath, accidentally taking in his scent as well, minty with the slightly woodsy, musky scent of a man. She choked, coughing and trying to wave away the blush that the smell had brought on. It wasn’t normal to blush when you smell someone else, right?! She was going insane!

Loki had an even more infuriating smirk on his face. “Are you o-”

(Y/N) held up a hand as he eyes watered. All she could smell was his scent, flooding her nose again. “Don’t you freakin’ dare. You know what happened and you know exactly what you’re doing.” (Y/N) spoke quickly, the blush still prominent on her cheeks, but she was no longer choking on nothing.

Loki just smirked and kept on working. The smug bastard knew exactly what he was doing.

How could she get him back? Oh right, wear her most revealing clothing to the next entire-team meeting. Even if that could attract some unwanted attention.

Ah yes. Revenge would be so, so sweet.

Hopefully.

They sparred, and surprisingly, Loki’s fighting style seemed to have changed to suit his size compared to hers. His fighting style was suited to someone who was used to fight against someone bigger himself.

~~~

That night, (Y/N) could be found scavenging through her wardrobe, until she found the bikini and the (rather) revealing dress that Natasha had forced her to buy.

Natasha would understand what she was doing.

Her plan was to go to the joint dinner in this outfit, then invite someone along with her to go to the pool.

And Loki would probably follow, suspicious of what she was doing.

It worked. At dinner, almost no one asked after Tony made the first comment. “(Y/N), why are you wearing a dress?” It was a well-known fact that (Y/N) did not like wearing dresses in her spare time because they were just so uncomfortable and so difficult to fight in them, but today she had put on her most revealing dress on, something that she usually saved for missions where she had to be the ‘damsel in distress’.

“I wanted to go to the pool afterwards, and dresses are easy to take off so I put my swimsuit on underneath.” (Y/N) said nonchalantly, and Loki’s eyes snapped to her face, narrowed and suspicious. Tony had opened his mouth again, but (Y/N) put a hand up to cut him off. “And yes, I know the rule, I need to bring someone along with me. Anyone want to come with me?”

There was a silence, then Bucky put up his hand hesitantly. “I’ll go.” Everyone looked at him. “What? A gentleman would let the lady do what she wants to, and I don’t mind going swimming under the stars.” He winked, and (Y/N) laughed. It was working perfectly.

“Okay! I’m done here anyway, I’ll quickly go grab a towel and wait for you in the lounge.” (Y/N) told him cheerily, pointedly not making any eye contact with Loki. When he did see Loki out of her peripheral vision, she saw that he was definitely suspicious and just a tiny bit pink. With frustration, anger, annoyance or hatred, she wasn’t sure.

But she was sure that he knew that she was up to something.

Bucky came back into the room a few minutes later, shirtless with just his swimming bottoms, and (Y/N) had to admit he was rather well-built, but he wasn’t her type. He had a towel around his shoulders, and (Y/N) bounced to his side, her towel was around her shoulders as well.

“Aren’t you going to change?” Bucky asked, slightly confused.

(Y/N) shrugged and turned her back to the others. “Yeah, I’ll change down there.” She grabbed his arm and bounced out the door.

“Wait! I wish to accompany you too! I would like to know what a pool is.” Loki called out at the last minute, and (Y/N) gained a vicious smile, but her back was still turned so no one but Bucky could see her facial expression. Bucky looked confused. She turned around with an innocent smile.

“Play along.” (Y/N) whispered into Bucky’s ear, and nodded at Loki, who quickly disappeared. He came around the corner a few minutes later, with a towel and his normal clothing. (Y/N) raised an eye brow. “Are you changing down there as well?” (Y/N) asked innocently, and Loki nodded stiffly.

“What is a pool?” He was laying his lie down thickly, and (Y/N) was willing to play along. Bucky just stood between them, slightly confused at what he was just dragged into. It took a few moments, and a glance at Natasha for him to finally understand what was going on. He wasn’t a master assassin and spy for no reason.

“A pool is like a manmade lake for swimming and recreational purposes. Our pool has pretty lights on the bottom so I usually go out there at night!” (Y/N) turned to Bucky with a mock-stern expression. “Don’t tell Tony I come out here on my own.” Bucky nodded with a small smirk.

The walk to the pool was quiet, Loki seemed to brood in his own thoughts behind Bucky and (Y/N), Bucky was simply walking with his eyes straight ahead, and (Y/N) was bouncing along like a child, because why not? They did always have way too much energy after eating because their super strength and muscles absorbed the energy all at once, and meant that she needed more energy than a normal human.

As soon as they reached the pool, (Y/N) threw her towel over the fence and kicked off her shoes, running a hand through her hair and turning to the boys, who were looking at the pool, rather curiously, because where were the lights that (Y/N) promised them?

“FRIDAY? Initiate Disco sequence.” (Y/N) called out, smirking. Tony had insisted that it be called ‘Disco sequence’ for no particular reason, but it was hilarious, because it made the pool actually look like an underwater disco.

She quickly pulled the small, tight-fitting dress off and hung it next to the towel, turning around to see Loki watching her with hungry eyes. She gave him a teasing, sultry smile, and glanced at Bucky, who had hung his towel near the pool gate and was staring, mesmerised by the laser lights.

She ran, trusting her quick step and impeccable balance that was almost feline would make sure she didn’t fall. As soon as she reached the edge of the pool, she dove, and entered the freezing-cold water with the smallest ripple.

Pushing off the bottom, she breached the surface and took a deep breath, before floating onto her back and glancing at the boys.

Bucky looked mildly amused, and had started to walk towards the pool, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him, and turned him around. Loki stared down at Bucky, who had put a mildly confused expression up for the game’s sake. He could see the power game clear as day. Obviously, Loki had had to be winning earlier for (Y/N) to have to pull this sort of move.

He recalled the previous morning, when they seemed to be ready to rip each other’s throats out, but now (Y/N) and Loki seemed to have made a deal and let their anger fizzle out, instead opting for a power game.

“Yes?” Bucky prompted innocently.

“What is she trying to do?”

Bucky snorted and Loki’s question. “I think you know. As I see it, it’s a power game between you and her. Obviously, she’s trying to do some sort of seduction technique, she’s wearing the bikini and dress that Natasha had bought her, and she asked people to go with her to the pool. She’s trying to tempt her. And she’s tempting a lot more people than you.”

Loki’s grip on Bucky’s good shoulder tightened a fraction, his mask cracking ever so slightly. “What do you mean, she’s tempting a lot more people than me?”

“I did offer to go with her to the pool. Natasha was the one who bought her the dress and bikini. Sam flirts with her, and she returns his playful flirting. She’s dangerous, and there are a lot of idiots on this team who are attracted to danger like moths to a flame.” Bucky shrugged, and smirked, this was a power game between Loki and himself right now. Loki was trying to use his height and size to intimidate Bucky, but he wasn’t going to allow that to happen.

“Hey boys! Are you going to join me or not?” (Y/N) called out from her spot in the pool, and Loki glanced over at (Y/N), his hand still on Bucky’s shoulder, and his grip tightened slightly.

“Don’t touch what is mine.”

“Well, she’s not yours yet.” Bucky shrugged Loki’s hand off his shoulder, and turned to (Y/N), before running and jumping into the pool with a big splash. Bucky landed at the bottom as well, and looked up to see that (Y/N) was staring over at Loki, probably having a staring contest. Bubbles left his mouth in exasperation. He didn’t not want to get dragged into this sexual tension. Or whatever tension this was.

Bucky launched himself up, and as he got to the surface, he swept (Y/N) into a bridal-style hold, and (Y/N) laughed, bopping him on the nose. Bucky swam them down to the shallow end, so that they could touch the bottom, and didn’t need to turn around to know that Loki was glaring daggers into the back of his head.

As soon as (Y/N) could touch the floor, he started the tickling and (Y/N) squealed, giggling and squirming in his arms. She escaped and swam as far as she could from him.

They chased each other around for a while, whilst Loki just floated in the middle of them, glowering.

(Y/N) decided to make her next move. “Loki!” She called out as a warning, before she attached herself to him, climbing up his tall body and perched on his rather slim, compared to Thor’s, shoulders in order to avoid Bucky. Loki immediately stood up to his full height, and held a hand up to (Y/N) instinctively, but she ignored it, her cat-like balance keeping her from falling off. That, and the fact that she had laced her fingers through Loki’s silky hair.

Bucky paused, looking at how Loki was glaring down at him.

Bucky sighed, and the question that was burning inside him finally spilled out as he sank into the water until it was up to his neck. “What happened between you last night that made you two so… trusting? So much closer? Just not as hateful towards each other?” He asked.

“Well…” (Y/N) jumped off Loki’s shoulders and let the water absorb the impact of her landing, before turning around and glancing at Loki, who gave her a miniscule nod. “We became partners in crime. And no duo can work together if there is bad blood between them. Loki got out his anger when we sparred, and we bonded over torturing people.”

“Of course! You and Loki! How could I not have seen that?” Bucky lied right through his teeth, and Loki narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

“Yeah, how could I not be friends, or at least acquaintances with the god of trickery. The goddess of pranks, and the god of trickery.” (Y/N) gave him a smirk, and sunk down to her neck in the water to join Bucky. “So, Loki, are we partners, or acquaintances?”

“Partners.” Loki answered immediately, albeit slightly softly, and (Y/N) smirked internally. It was working. And maybe her crush on her idol wasn’t as one-sided as it was originally thought to be.

Thor did say that they would probably get along quite well.

“Should we be scared?” Bucky asked teasingly, he ruffled (Y/N)’s hair, and she chuckled before giving him a devilish smirk.

“Probably.” Loki and (Y/N) said in unison, although Loki said it in a monotonous voice, his eyes narrowed on Bucky’s hand, and (Y/N) had said it in a cheeky manner.

Bucky shivered. “I think I should get out now. Unlike you two, I’m not immune to the cold.” Bucky did have goose bumps climbing up his back and flesh arm, but he mostly just wanted to get away from the two demons. The corner of Loki’s lips tilted upwards in a smug smile, and Bucky paused to analyse Loki’s slightly altered poker face, then shrugged it off.

“(Y/N), don’t stay out too long, we don’t want you to catch a cold.” Bucky told (Y/N) as he climbed out of the pool, walking over to grab his towel without looking back.

“I can’t get sick anyway. And I’m sure Loki will pester me if we stay too long for his poor, royal behind.” (Y/N) told him cheekily, and Loki rolled his eyes, and as soon as Bucky had gone inside, he turned around to look at (Y/N).

“Do you like him romantically or sexually?” Loki demanded, his face set in stone, the small, triumphant smile was gone, and his poker face had been reset.  
(Y/N) looked confused. What the hell did he mean? She could never like Bucky like that, Bucky was like a brother to her. “No.” (Y/N) replied in an almost disgusted tone. “I mean, I don’t like him romantically or sexually, and I never could, he’s like a brother to me.”

Loki gave her a cold smile, and replied with one word, before sinking underwater. “Good.” (Y/N) looked at him through the water, slightly baffled. What gave him the idea that she would have a crush on Bucky?

(Y/N) swam a few laps to get her blood pumping and to let her sort out her thoughts, then she floated on her back when Loki came back up.

“Do you have any romantic or sexual interest in anyone on the team?” Loki asked as he waded over.

“Depends on who you count as on the team. Strange could be considered as a part of the team, and not a part of the team. Quill, Rocket, Groot, Gamora, Drax and Mantis are technically not a part of the team. And you, yourself, fall into a completely different category.” (Y/N) replied thoughtfully, floating around peacefully in the pool allowed her thoughts to be heard, instead of just sitting at the back of her mind, because her opinion never mattered. Well, they might have mattered to some of the team, but she usually ignored them.

Loki seemed to sink into his own thoughts. “Do you have a romantic or sexual interest in anyone currently in the Compound?” He rephrased the question to include himself.

“Yes.” (Y/N) answered almost instantaneously, then winced. “How about you answer that question as well, to make it fair.”

“Life isn’t fair.”

“If it were, then I’d be dead.” (Y/N) replied, and let her feet sink down so that she was facing Loki. “Tell me, do you have a romantic or sexual interest in anyone currently in the Compound?”

Loki hesitated. “Yes.” (Y/N) gave him a dangerous smile. There was a glint in her eyes that made him nervous, considering how she had managed to completely take him by surprise on his first day, when his guard was up, he was nervous about what she could do if his guard was down.

She analysed his facial expression, and he kept it neutral, narrowing his eyes as her eyes landed on his. “Interesting.” She replied nonchalantly, then continued to float on her back.

Loki was confused. “Aren’t you going to ask me who it is?”

“It’s none of my business. It’s probably some new intern you managed to prank or one of the Avengers that you found reading your favourite book. Someone with the same interest as you, but difficult to break so you can keep on pranking them, keep on tricking them, and keep on lying to them. So that you don’t have to change yourself to suit their needs. Isn’t that what we all look for in a significant other?” (Y/N) asked rhetorically, and Loki watched her carefully. It only took a few laps of the pool and the disappearance of anyone on the team for this girl to change form childish to contemplative. (Y/N) glanced at Loki briefly. “What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?”

“No…” Loki said carefully. “You just surprised me.” (Y/N) laughed, the sound making Loki swallow hard.

“How could I, a lowly Midgardian, surprise a Prince of the Asgardian Court, the God of Lies, the Trickster with a Silver Tongue. How could I lie to the Rightful King of Jotunheim, the God of Daggers and Knives, the shapeshifting, Seidr-wielding, illusion-casting, clone-creating Frost Giant, who could claim two throne through only one death?” (Y/N)’s eyes seemed to sharpen as she took in Loki’s surprised expression. “I do my research. And dam, does your brother talk when it comes to his family. He loves you, but all you’ve done is prank and trick him.” She continued, watching his reactions as she tried to cut him deeply, but he seemed to have closed off. “You think you are a monster, but you forget what you’ve done, what you were, who you were, are all from the past. Everyone is the hero in their own story, make yourself the hero in others. You won’t always be the saviour, the angel from heaven, you won’t always win, but you can sure as hell try.” (Y/N) told him quietly, Loki’s eyes had glazed over as soon as she stopped speaking, and a soft smile tugged at her lips.

“Not everyone hates you. There is hope for you yet. You just have to let go of the past.” (Y/N) finished and hugged him lightly. She could see pain on anyone. It just seemed to be a sixth sense, she could just feel the pain that someone else could. Maybe it was an extra power? She didn’t care, as long as she could help people with it, she kept it close to her.

Pulling away, she swam to the edge, pulling herself out of the pool and looking down at her fingertips, wincing at the prune-like skin that was there from staying in the water for too long, before walking over to the towel and wrapping it around herself, and turning around to almost bump into a Loki who was just standing inside her personal space.

“How did you do that?”

“Do what?” (Y/N) didn’t know exactly what she did, she just talked. Sometimes she just didn’t know how to shut her trap.

“Read my mind, twist my feelings and the give me the sweet nectar of hope, only to steal it away.” Loki stepped forward so that (Y/N) was trapped between his (bare) chest, and the pool fence. “How do you do this to me? How do you tempt me to do unspeakable things to you? How do you make me to feel this way?” Oh, that’s what he meant. (Y/N)’s heart soared. Maybe her heart wouldn’t get beaten and bruised again. Maybe her love wasn’t as unrequited as she originally thought.

“I don’t know.” She replied quietly, looking up at him, and her heart fluttered at the heated stare that Loki was directing at her. He glanced down, and focused on her lips. (Y/N) felt his hand snake around her waist and pull her closer.

“Is this okay?” He whispered, his lips barely moving, and (Y/N) felt dizzy, as if this were another one of her daydreams. She sure hoped not. Well, the very fast enemies-to-friends-to-lovers trope was something that her brain would make up, but she never expected that the God of Lies would be so charming.

“Yes.” (Y/N) breathed, she pressed into him, stepping into his embrace, and he bent down as she leaned upwards.

Their lips connected and it felt right. His cold lips moved perfectly against her warm ones, and when his tongue prodded at her lips, before slipping through, she finally understood the meaning of silver-tongued. His other hand got tangled in her hair and she dropped her towel and flung her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her.

The barely pulled apart, (Y/N)’s chest was heaving as she tried to catch her breath, and Loki’s cheeks were tinged pink.

“So I take it that your romantic interest is in me?” Loki said smugly, and (Y/N) blushed, lightly whacking his arm playfully.

“So I take it that your romantic interest is in me?” (Y/N) mimicked him, and he smirked, before leaning into her personal space, causing her blood pressure to rise at a concerning pace.

“Yes.” He whispered into her ear, before placing a kiss on her neck, right below her ear, and pulling away to grab his towel, giving her a perfect view of his back and behind. I will not swoon. I will not sigh. I will not lose. She chanted in her mind, and smirked, picking up her towel and whacking Loki’s perfect little behind.

Loki turned around, his mouth agape. “You did not.”

(Y/N) couldn’t stop the grin that spread across her face. “I did so.” She responded, and squealed when Loki lunged for her, using her speed to manoeuvre out of his grasp at the last minute, then sped away towards the building, slow enough to keep him in her radar, but fast enough to keep out of his reach.

“Get back here!” He roared, she could hear his grin, but didn’t stop until she reached the common room, still soaking wet and in her bikini, her dress and her towel were in her hands and she located Thor, who was sitting at the bar with Cap and Tony, almost instantly, and leapt behind him as a similarly soaking wet Loki appeared at the door, his chest rising and falling heavily as he surveyed the room and spotted (Y/N) hiding behind his brother.

“Thor, help me!” (Y/N) whispered hurriedly, and Thor gave her a booming laugh.

“I’m afraid I can’t help you here, (Y/N), Loki always gets what he wants.”

Tony looked between them, confused and slightly tipsy. “Besides, what did you do to Reindeer Games that pissed him off so badly?”

“She whacked my ass with her towel!” Loki exclaimed.

“That sounds like something she would do.” Tony gave him a crooked smile and downed an entire glass of… vodka? (Y/N) hoped it was water, not vodka, but considering the events of the past few days, it was more likely to be vodka.

If he found out that (Y/N) and Loki had kissed, well, he’d probably drink the entire Compound dry of alcohol. Loki simply rolled his eyes and grabbed (Y/N) around the waist and threw her over his shoulder, and she hit his back playfully as he carried her out of the room, but to be honest, she was perfectly fine with being thrown over his shoulders and carried away.

“Remember to wear a condom!” Tony snickered, and Loki retorted without missing a beat.

“I will!” Loki and (Y/N) snorted when they heard Tony choke and cough on whatever he was downing next.

“Don’t you dare, that girl is like my daughter, and I will not have you-” Tony started ranting, then was abruptly cut off by Thor.

“Leave them alone, (Y/N) can make decisions of her own. As can Loki, and I trust his choices.”

Tony grumbled something that neither of them could bother to hear, because Loki had reached their rooms.

“Well, I guess this is where we part.”

“Unless you have plans for tonight.” (Y/N) winked, and Loki smirked.

“Oh sorry, I’m new here, I don’t have any plans as of yet.”

“Well, maybe we could have our first date, start officially courting, and prank a few people.” (Y/N) told him, raising an eyebrow, and Loki’s facial expression softened almost immediately.

“I honestly don’t know what I did to deserve you. And we only kissed a few minutes ago.”

“Well, for one, you destroyed New York, and for another, you sparred me without getting maimed, so I think it’s safe to say that we deserve each other.” (Y/N) gave him one last glance, then slipped into her room before she turned into a puddle under his hot stare. Taking a deep breath, she reassembled herself and got herself cleaned up and into pyjamas, before wandering back into the community room, where the others were gathered around a table.

A table playing the kiss between Loki and (Y/N) on the tablet that was on it.

Flushing red, (Y/N) tried to nonchalantly sit down on the couch near them, but they all watched her like a hawk.

When Loki came in in pyjamas and made to sit next to her, Tony and Clint pointedly sat on either side of her, and (Y/N) got redder, if it was even possible at this point.

“What is the meaning of this?” Loki demanded, glaring at Tony and Clint.

“What are your intentions with our daughter-figure?” Tony asked, and (Y/N) buried her burning face into her hands. Sure she knew that they cared, but not this much.

“I intend to treat her like the princess she is.” Loki replied smoothly, and (Y/N) gave him a thankful grin, before standing up and hugging him, before shoving him between Clint and Tony and curling up in his lap, resting her head on his shoulder.

“We still up for tonight?” She whispered.

“Of course, I already have a few ideas we could use.”

Bucky and Steve turned bright red, obviously thinking of it in a different way….

“Hey, I was thinking we start with the super soldiers, but Nat is out of bounds. Then we can move to the others. And remember, keep the traps humane and not strong enough to maim a human.” (Y/N) glared daggers at the super soldiers and made sure she said it loud enough to make the meaning clear, and Loki chuckled darkly.

“Oh, it will be my pleasure to hear their screams of torment.” Loki replied, and he twisted her around so that she was sitting with her back to him and he was holding her close.

Maybe she would have a happily ever after, after all.


	2. Managed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Right after a Nerf war, the Avengers, (Y/N) and Loki are called in for a mission. Another Hydra base had been located and they needed some help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry not sorry.

Holding a hand up behind her, and making Loki pause in his tracks, (Y/N) leveled her Nerf gun at the back of Steve’s head. He was currently whispering to Bucky, who glanced over Steve’s shoulder in time to see a foam pellet hit Steve in the back of the head and a rubber knife hit Bucky square in the forehead.

“Steve and Bucky have been eliminated, could they please report to the community living room until further notice.” F.R.I.D.A.Y.’s voice came from above, and Bucky groaned. Steve pat him on the shoulder and guided them towards the stairwell. During Nerf wars and these little simulation drills, the lights would dim, communication would go down and the elevator wouldn’t work.

And windows also refused to open. F.R.I.D.A.Y. wouldn’t open things for you, and only showed signs of still being online when she told the people who had been eliminated to go to the community living room.

So far, Tony, Bruce, Steve, Bucky, and Thor had been eliminated. Tony, Bruce and Thor had been a team, Steve and Bucky another team, Natasha and Clint a team and Loki, (Y/N) and Wanda a team.

Only Natasha and Clint to go and then this hell would finally be over. They hadn’t slept or ate for nearly 23 hours now. Tony and Bruce had basically given up, going back down to the labs to pack up and turn in because Steve was starting to send people to bed. _Because we need to be fed and alert in case a mission comes in._ Sure, Steve, how will the message get through, the Nerf Wars Protocol was activated. _Because we still need to take care of our own health for the better of the world._ FINE Stevie baby, go get your beauty sleep and let the mysterious (not-so-mysterious) forces of hair-health comb your hair into perfection before you wake up.

(Y/N) glanced around the corner and had enough time to grab Loki and reach for Wanda before she phased into In-Between and a tiny foam pellet hit the wall where she was. She phased a hand back into reality and grabbed Wanda, pulling her into the In-Between and shaking off the headache from sleep deprivation and dehydration, as well as the usage of her abilities now, that was coming on. Letting go of Wanda’s hand to massage her temples, (Y/N) watched as Nat and Clint dropped down from the ceiling and spread out, looking for them.

Wanda nodded silently at (Y/N) and (Y/N) phased her back into the Real. Hitting Natasha in the back with a foam pellet from the spares she had in her pockets to use as bullets when added with her telekinesis, she leaped to avoid the foam dagger Clint threw at her in response as Nat grumbled and walked towards the living room to get some food and water before going off to do Black Widow stuff.

No one knew if she slept or not, simply because she wasn’t in her room half the night and the other half would be spent trying to figure out how she disabled F.R.I.D.A.Y. in such a specific area that F.R.I.D.A.Y. couldn’t even tell if she had gone into her room that night.

It was annoying to say the least.

But not for (Y/N), and now Loki, because she could just phase through the wall. Even then, she tried not to prank Natasha too harshly, because who knew what Natasha could do to get her back.

Usually it was something small, like harmlessly dying her water red, or putting a sticker on her clothes while she slept. The sticker would end up on her forehead if (Y/N) was feeling bold and Natasha was showing the tiny signs of amusement at (Y/N)’s actions that meant that she’d let her off easy if (Y/N) tried to prank her. (Y/N) and Loki had moved behind Clint and just as Clint was about to shoot a foam arrow at her with the toy bow that Tony had rigged up for safety and so that Clint didn’t whine, Loki phased back into the Real and ‘slit’ Clint’s throat with a rubber knife.

The second that the lights came back on, the alarm went off, red replacing white and blaring noises replacing the deafening silence.

(Y/N) flinched as her headache doubled in pain, and Loki glanced down at her, pressing a cool hand to her forehead. Energy immediately flooded her veins with a cold shock, and the floor lurched underneath her feet, causing her knees to buckle, before everything steadied and she had more energy than she would have with a full night’s sleep and a caffeinated coffee. (Loki’s prank was still in action; there was no caffeinated coffee anywhere in the Compound) “Thanks Lokes.” She whispered, smiling up at where he was a few seconds ago. Loki had disappeared, most likely to change into his battle-wear in peace, and she in turn, phased into the In-Between to retrieve her supersuit for the mission.

The blaring noises tapered off, and Fury’s voice came on over the noise. “Avengers, you must start taking some responsibility, keep your goddamn communication tech online at all times, there has been a Hydra base uncovered and we need you to destroy it immediately, before they realise we’ve found them. Honestly… those little fu-” the message was cut off suddenly, and (Y/N) shook her head, smirking. Classic Fury with the name calling, and classic Tony with the cutting-people-in-power-off.

(Y/N) decided to take the quick route from the little suit-up room by phasing into the In-Between and leaping up to the roof and helicarrier in two bounds. Travel was strange in the In-Between. (she may or may not have made a stop at Clint’s secret Girl Scout Mint and Choc Chip Cookie stash in the vents that she’d found an hour ago during the Nerf War).

Reappearing beside where Captain America was talking to the pilot, Phil Coulson, she gave both men a shock, before snickering and sauntering over to sit next to Bucky. Loki was yet to arrive, and had a strange aversion to flight, so he’d be taking as long as he needed. After the first time she tried to stay behind to keep him company, he’d refused to stay longer than the last person. He usually took a minute after the last person, before teleporting into the designated ‘Loki Area’. The only people allowed in the Loki Area were (Y/N) and Loki, and any offenders would be either punished on the spot or have a nasty surprise waiting for them the next morning. 

Thor was the only repeated offender. The occasional slightly-drunk-and/or-sleep-deprived Tony would accidentally find his way in and then jump out. 

Sometimes he wouldn’t and Loki would start scheming. 

“Bucky, Bucky, Bucky, Bucky.” (Y/N) shook his metal arm and he rolled his eyes, pulling his eyes away from Steve and to (Y/N)’s face.

“What is it, sweetheart?” He asked, looking (overall) bored.

(Y/N) pointed at his hair, asking a Very Important Question, “Can I braid your hair?” in a Very Serious Manner.

Bucky sighed, before nodding and sitting so his back was to her. She started by grabbing one strand from his right side-fringe, and braiding it backwards towards the middle of his head, then grabbed a strand of hair from the his left side-fringe, braiding it back to the middle of Bucky’s head. Typing both off with a spare hair tie (she always had five on her at all times because they were surprising good weapons and useful) (and she liked to braid Loki’s hair, when he was around, and if he wasn’t, she’d braid Bucky’s hair), (Y/N) continued the pattern until Loki arrived (which was a few minutes, so she got maybe two rows, halfway through her third), before Loki teleported in next to her.

Making sure they were fastened properly, she turned around and hugged her boyfriend. “LOKIIIIIIIIII.” She dragged out the end of his name, and Loki looked mildly concerned.

“Who gave her sugar?”

“Meeeeeeee.” (Y/N) grinned, leaning her head on Loki’s shoulder. “I needed the energy.”

“Yes, but I already gave you a boost. Besides, where’d you get the sugar from?”

“You don’t need to know, Lokes.” She waved him off and played with his hair, running her blunted nails across his scalp gently and threading her fingers through his silky locks. He sighed and leant into her touch, the tension in his shoulders, which was barely visible to anyone who didn’t know him well enough, disappeared slowly, like water slipping through a cracked bowl.

(Y/N) hummed as Loki lay his head in her lap. “You’re beautiful, y’know. Very pretty.” She murmured, tracing her fingertips down his face, slowly over his cheekbones, then quickly to his chin, before slipping up to the edge of his lips, which were quirking upwards, even if his eyes were closed. “A very pretty boi.” She ran her fingers back up the edges of his face, and laced them in his hair again.

_Somehow_ , his hair was the softest on the team. And it wasn’t as greasy as it seemed.

He kept his eyes closed the rest of the ride, and (Y/N) let her imagination run wild, thinking up new technique combinations she could try at this next fight, and trying not to think about the lives she could ( _would_ ) take. They didn’t move from the Loki Area, and (Y/N) didn’t stop running her fingers through their hair.

The silence was comfortable and neither felt the need to break such a precious time. The preparation for battle was important. You had to be in the right mindset, be feeling the right emotions, and have the right amount of energy.

Because you could break down at any time in the battle if you weren’t emotionally ready. Because you could become a liability in the battle if you didn’t have the energy. Because you could bring the entire team down with negativity if you weren’t in the right mindset.

Because the team had to work together, in sync, with the right amount of strength, to win any and all battles they face.

  


~~~

  


They touched down and went towards the exits, meeting Fury there as planned.

It was a quick infiltrate and destroy mission, he had said. Get in, plant the bombs, get the data, get out, he had said.

(Y/N) had _no clue_ how she got in such a situation.

She had done everything according to plan; she’d gone into the base through the In-Between and taken note of how many soldiers there were, and how many scientists, how many test subjects, civilians, how many of everything.

So _how_ in the _Nine Realms_ , did she get _here_?!

Well, here was in a long corridor, with locked rooms and guards at one end, and guards civilians, and innocents at the other.

And she was alone.

The guards hefted their guns up, and in one smooth motion, (Y/N) pulled out and extended a long baton, a long pole, that she swung around quickly to deflect any bullets that would come her way.

Then there was the running. She didn’t bother quietening her steps, instead letting them pound and echo in the metal corridor. The pings of bullets hitting the metal baton were almost comical, and the bangs of the gunshot were deafening, but she persisted, 5… 4… 3… metres away.

Leaping, she batted the gun of one man away, and as the men turned their guns towards her, seemingly in slow motion as she sped up, she disappeared into the In-Between seconds before they started shooting, so the bullets flew through her and hit their own.

Four down, three to go.

She phased back into the Real, slowing down long enough to hit the gunman on her right with the baton in the head, then continued spinning to hit the one on her left.

Shaking her head and pausing for a split second, she didn’t notice the bullet ripping through her shoulder until it was too late.

A blood-curdling scream could be heard, and she didn’t realise it was hers until she could feel her throat feel like sandpaper was rubbing against the sensitive walls.

The ground lurched underneath her, and colourful spots danced around in her vision.

And the _pain_. The _pain_ that pulsed in her shoulder, it felt as if her arm had been ripped off, but it was only a small bullet. 

There was a grim chuckle behind her as she lay face down on the floor, breaths shaky and painful, and grip on the baton weak.

“There’s nothing you can do to stop me from killing these children now, Cheshire.” He snarled, pulling her up from the back of her suit. “And I’m gonna make you watch every single one of them die because of you.” His voice was strange. Everything was strange.

But she knew something. There was gonna be an angry Loki, and it was all that she could do but hope that he would avenge their deaths.

She was just starting to nod off, her mind feeling numb as her shoulder pulsed with pain, the agony washing over her entire body causing all her nerves to spark, whilst all her muscles turned to putty.

Wasn’t the first time she’d been shot, but you don’t really build up resistance to bullets either.

This was the first time she’d been shot in the torso, though.

And it was not fun.

A sharp pain coming from her shoulder shook her back into wakefulness, the wonderful numbness of her mind shaken away. “Can you hear me, Cheshire?” There were a few curses, and what felt like fingers pressed into the wound on her shoulder.

A broken shriek pushed its way out of her shuddering lungs, through her sore throat, and fell from her lips.

She could vaguely hear the others panicking in the comms, but couldn’t hear anything over the man’s maniacal laugh.

She didn’t think you could die from a shot in the shoulder, but from what she could feel, death was already prodding at her soul. And it was not fun.

Huh, maybe she was bleeding out.

Honestly, she thought that she’d be more hysterical upon death, maybe sobbing or crying or saying goodbye as quickly as she could, but her mind was hazy, and her thoughts slightly stranger than usual.

“(Y/N)!” A familiar voice called out, a voice close enough (physically and emotionally) to shake her out of her blood-loss trance. There were grunts and the sound of bone crunching against metal, as well as whimpers and begs of mercy.

Heh, Loki didn’t know the meaning of mercy when his love was involved, and honestly, he didn’t care at that moment there were innocents and children watching, all he cared about was that his (Y/N) was dying and this scum was the cause of her pain. Of her agony. And if he didn’t dispose of his life soon, her death.

Seconds later, (Y/N) felt hands over her body, cool familiar hands. At least she hoped so, and even if she believed it wasn’t Loki who had won the fight, his panicked mumblings were the only sound to fill the hallway, so she was sure he had won.

“Come on, come on, come on, come on (Y/N), you’re strong, please be alive.” Loki muttered, voice cracking at the end. Letting out a shuddering breath, (Y/N)’s dry lips parted, and her eyes cracked open as a flood of Loki’s magic swept over her body in a familiar scanning spell that he always ran after a battle.

Then the cool-feeling magic focused on the bullet wound in her shoulder, stopping the bleeding, and somehow replenishing some of her blood supply. “(Y/N).” She could see the relief on his face as clear as day, even though he was only a blurry, dark shape. She could feel the relief roll off him and the way he moved; slightly shaky, but calmer. “I’m going to pick you up and teleport you out of here on the count of three.” Oh gods, (Y/N) thought, teleporting was never fun, but then again, it wasn’t like I have any other choice. She could hypothetically phase them into the In-Between, but then again, she might lose consciousness, and then they’d just be stuck in the In-Between.

“Three.” Loki hefted her up, holding her bridal style, and she couldn’t help the whimper that fought its way past her broken throat and through the daze.

“Two.” She felt his long, cool fingers brush a strand of hair out of her face, and leant into the touch, without opening her eyes.

“One.” The stomach-rolling sensation fell over her, and it felt like her shoulder was on fire, and the wound was aggravated further. Something similar to a scream wrought her throat dry and she couldn’t help but let the tears fall, streaming down her face as Loki pulled her out of the battle.

“(Y/N).” She peeked one eye open, she must have blacked out through the teleportation, because Loki was standing over her, and she could feel blankets around her. “I….” Loki swallowed, and her sight was clearer now, she could see the worry lines across his forehead appear. Raising her uninjured arm, she swept the tears away as Loki leant in for a kiss. Pulling back, he gave her a sad smile. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” (Y/N) took a deep breath in and out, testing the pain of the injury to see if she could continue speaking, before frowning. Loki looked concerned about her frown, and as he opened his mouth to voice his concern she whispered her question, “Why didn’t you run away? Why did you have to come back for me?” She remembered the innocents, the children, the families, the teenagers, the bystanders who had been kidnapped and probably tortured and experimented upon. “Why didn’t you just take the people and run?”

Loki looked angry for a moment, before he saw how she flinched and smoothed his facial expressions over. “You are my girlfriend, and I love you. That asshole hurt you and I had to kill him for you.” (Y/N) rolled her eyes at his whole over-protective boyfriend thing and hooked her uninjured arm around his neck and pulled him down slowly for a kiss, giving him enough time to pull away if needed.

Of course, he moved faster than she anticipated, and pressed a kiss against her lips, needy and hard, as if he wanted to make sure she was there, that she was alive and still with him.

He pulled away slowly, almost regretfully, but left his head pressed against her forehead.

“I’m still here. I will never leave you, Loki.”

  


~~~

  


Loki didn’t tell her that was a lie.

He didn’t tell her that his built-in lie detectors went off as soon as she started speaking.

He didn’t tell her how his heart broke when he felt that.

He didn’t tell her why his eyes suddenly started leaking.

Because today, today he just managed to get to her.

And one day, he wouldn’t be able to.

One day he wouldn’t be able to save her, he wouldn’t be able to get there in time, he wouldn’t be able to hold her again.

He didn’t need to tell her. She knew.


End file.
